Dear Friends and Family,
Please keep the Briggs Family in all of your prayers! Their daughter Bri was diagnosed with Leukemia today. It's the A.L.L. version for those of you who know what that means. I don't know much, just that they really need all the prayers and thoughts they can get. As soon as I know more, I will share more. You can check their blog for updates soon (after it is made public again, I will update it) at www.toryandlindsey.blogspot.com
Our love, thoughts and prayers are with you Tory and Lindsey! We're pulling for you!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tom's Birthday
Tom had a birthday! He turned 27, and we had a great little party! We were both SO busy during the day that we actually didn't really see each other til that evening at 6. I did give him his present that morning. Elliana got him a game called Quidler...and I got him the movie Shallow Hal. We went really light on presents this year. Tom's parents got him some gift cards to restaurants, because that is exactly what he wanted! My parents got him some new shoes.
After we both met up again we got together with some friends for dinner at Famous Dave's; the food was not that great but the company was awesome! After dinner, our friends the Morfords came back to the house for games and dessert. Lauren made this wonderful peanut butter pie, it was AMAZING!
I hope you had a wonderful birthday Tom! I love you so much, and am so proud of all your accomplishments in Medical School! I'm excited for you to be done with this first 2 years so we can go on to the next part in our journey!
After we both met up again we got together with some friends for dinner at Famous Dave's; the food was not that great but the company was awesome! After dinner, our friends the Morfords came back to the house for games and dessert. Lauren made this wonderful peanut butter pie, it was AMAZING!
Elder Andrew LaPray
Every week we get a chance to write Andrew letters on Sunday night! It's one of Elliana's favorite things to do. This is how her letter went this week. Tom helped her, and he did a GREAT job!
Elder LaPray
ffffffffffjkkkj../';9ooooop0-;
'oiuiopoieiop[p[[
[pm ceru
It's Andrew. Sing sing sing! (there's music in the background) It's cookies! My fav (there are cookies in the background too) Sing sing sing! Now she is hu mmb in g) I push
I can sing
I can help! (that goes up with the humming fiasco)
That's my faaaaaaa (? no idea)
it's my cookies. and a smiley face
Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. my, oh, there's my face! My face and the cookies. My face. My face! MY FACE!!!!!
HI Uncle Andrew. Where's Andrew. On his mission! it's my face!!! (there is a banner ad for cookie packages that lead to a happy face and it is making her so excited!!!) I miss you. luv you too andrew!
love,
Elli
Sunday, May 15, 2011
"Alexander (Emily) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day..."
One of Elliana's new favorite books is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I really enjoy reading the book with her, and she thinks it is very funny! But today, I feel a lot like Alexander. I am having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day! : (
It all started when Tom had to go to school (yes, on a Sunday). He has a mandatory Kaplan course going on right now, and he needs to be there, and he goes. I am glad he's going, I really am. But it just makes my Sunday's very long being in Sacrament with Elliana and then going to Primary to take care of 5, 4 year olds. I was stressed and the meeting went long, which meant singing time was cut short, which is bad for little ones, they need the singing time to unwind. Primary went off pretty well, but the kids were all pretty antsy.
Yesterday was a great day, I found the place where we want to rent! It is a house in Springville, about ten miles from Provo, and a single family house! 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, recently renovated! I was SO excited, Spencer (my little brother) went and looked at it and said, you should definitely get the house, it's great! I was thrilled, decided this is what I really wanted, and decided to fill out the application. Well, we aren't the only ones wanting it, and he's processing 3 other applications, and is showing it 5 times tomorrow! I just want to cry! This is where I want to live, I feel like it's the right place for us. But I feel like it's just going to fall through, and I dont' think I can handle the disappointment. I'm already pretty distraught about leaving Denver, because I really love it here! And then, to have this house slip from my grasp is really hard!
Today I just feel alone, I know I have my Father in Heaven who is always there for me, but I just wish I was closer to family, or had my best friends close by to talk to.
We all have a bad day every once in a while, luckily, tomorrow is another day, and hopefully a much better one!
It all started when Tom had to go to school (yes, on a Sunday). He has a mandatory Kaplan course going on right now, and he needs to be there, and he goes. I am glad he's going, I really am. But it just makes my Sunday's very long being in Sacrament with Elliana and then going to Primary to take care of 5, 4 year olds. I was stressed and the meeting went long, which meant singing time was cut short, which is bad for little ones, they need the singing time to unwind. Primary went off pretty well, but the kids were all pretty antsy.
Yesterday was a great day, I found the place where we want to rent! It is a house in Springville, about ten miles from Provo, and a single family house! 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, recently renovated! I was SO excited, Spencer (my little brother) went and looked at it and said, you should definitely get the house, it's great! I was thrilled, decided this is what I really wanted, and decided to fill out the application. Well, we aren't the only ones wanting it, and he's processing 3 other applications, and is showing it 5 times tomorrow! I just want to cry! This is where I want to live, I feel like it's the right place for us. But I feel like it's just going to fall through, and I dont' think I can handle the disappointment. I'm already pretty distraught about leaving Denver, because I really love it here! And then, to have this house slip from my grasp is really hard!
Today I just feel alone, I know I have my Father in Heaven who is always there for me, but I just wish I was closer to family, or had my best friends close by to talk to.
We all have a bad day every once in a while, luckily, tomorrow is another day, and hopefully a much better one!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Baseball Game and a Date
We recently got a chance to go the Rockies game. We thought we were going to have to pay $5 a ticket, so Tom paid a friend who had gotten the tickets, turns out, we didn't have to buy the tickets, his school bought them (between a few different clubs) and we got $10 for food, so we got $20 basically "free" to spend at the game. We were able to come out exactly even by the time we paid for food and parking! We got a deal!!
I Am A Child of God
Elli's new favorite song is I Am A Child of God. The other day in church, she decided she wanted to participate, and while people were bearing their testimonies, Elliana is singing I Am A Child of God. It's kind of hard to hear, but you get the gist of it. It's adorable in our opinion!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Pao de Queijo -Gluten Free
This is my new FAVORITE thing to make! On the cheese, I use mozzarella and that is my FAVORITE!
Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls {Pao de Queijo} – Gluten Free!
Prep Time: --- | Cook Time: --- | Servings: Yield: anywhere from 16-24 rolls, depending on how full you fill your muffin pan. I fill mine pretty full (a good 3/4 full) and I generally get about 16-18 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) no substitutions
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese* (preferably medium or sharp)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
*you can play around with the cheese. I’ve used Monterey Jack, low-moisture mozarella, swiss, and even gruyere in place of the cheddar. All great!
Optional: extra cheese to sprinkle on top and any herbs/flavorings you’d like to add. Try rosemary and or garlic powder, my favorites!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth. Add cheeses and pulse 2 times. Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin (if your muffin tin isn’t non-stick, spray lightly with non-stick spray first), filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less. If desired (and I recommend), sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top and/or a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan. Serve warm. {Que Gostoso!} These actually don’t re-heat well so I recommend making and eating fresh.
Celiac Disease
Yes, really. Definitely a HARD pill to swallow, but I am so glad that the Dr's have finally figured out what is wrong with me! In lame man's terms, I'm allergic to flour, and wheat, barley, oats and gluten. Stressful, MOST DEFINITELY! Until you look at labels, you really have no idea how many things have wheat in them, or enriched flour, it's crazy! So essentially I have cut out all carbs; not a bad thing, hard, for sure. Bread, rolls, cookies, cakes, some ice creams, cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup, pasta (except rice pasta), some cheeses, mac and cheese, pizza (so sad to leave this behind).
But this is going to be a great change for our family, and yes I said our family. This is not an Emily's new life style/diet, this is going to be a family change. A lot of the materials I have read say not to do that, because your kids and family will resent you for doing so, but Elliana is young enough that she won't know the difference to be angry with me. It's not that they can't eat what they want to, it's that I will only cook and buy gluten free items. If they are out to eat, they can have whatever they like, but that's just the way it needs to be for our family. It's a very healthy life style and I've already lost 8 lbs in just over a week! I am feeling SO much better and feel happier most days. I still have my moments, who doesn't?
Tom's been a CHAMP about all of it and is being so supportive of me in this new endevour.
You can get lots more information here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001280/
and here:
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-symptoms
Also, the Gluten Free Living for Dummies is awesome, as well as the Gluten Free Cooking for Dummies. Gotta love the Douglas County Libraries!
But this is going to be a great change for our family, and yes I said our family. This is not an Emily's new life style/diet, this is going to be a family change. A lot of the materials I have read say not to do that, because your kids and family will resent you for doing so, but Elliana is young enough that she won't know the difference to be angry with me. It's not that they can't eat what they want to, it's that I will only cook and buy gluten free items. If they are out to eat, they can have whatever they like, but that's just the way it needs to be for our family. It's a very healthy life style and I've already lost 8 lbs in just over a week! I am feeling SO much better and feel happier most days. I still have my moments, who doesn't?
Tom's been a CHAMP about all of it and is being so supportive of me in this new endevour.
You can get lots more information here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001280/
and here:
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-symptoms
Also, the Gluten Free Living for Dummies is awesome, as well as the Gluten Free Cooking for Dummies. Gotta love the Douglas County Libraries!
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